Scattered Daydreams
by Mana Mihara
Summary: A series of Kenshin and Kaoru request drabbles.
1. Covert Admiration

**Author's Note:** I took several requests for drabbles a couple months ago, and have finished all but one so far (I hope to start it soon i2awesome4u…promise!), and I have decided to post them on ff . net just for the heck of it. If anyone wants to leave one-word prompts for me in their review, I might be so inclined to write a drabble from it when I get the time, however, I make no promises. Anywho…enjoy the randomness of the drabbles.

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Rurouni Kenshin

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**Title**: Covert Admiration  
**Rating**: PG-13  
**Words**: 577  
**Request from**: _Anonymous_  
**Request**: RK drabble. KK pairing.

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Steam filled the bathroom, fogging the mirror behind her. Kaoru caught her lower lip in thought as she stared at the cluttered countertop and then glanced discreetly under her eyelashes across the room. With a slow quirk of her lips, she reached out and, as silently as possible, shoved the haphazardly placed items closer to the mirror. Placing her hands down on the countertop, she pushed up and sat down on the cool tile next to the sink. Kaoru pulled her legs up, rested her heels on the edge of the counter and wrapped her arms around her legs to keep them snugly against her upper body. She pressed the lower half of her face against her knees to muffle her sudden amusement, and kept her sapphire gaze glued to the vision in front of her.

It was too bad, really, that the shower curtain was covered with hundreds of tropical fish. It was clear, otherwise, which gave her a nice view of the redheaded man underneath the spray of the showerhead.

Her original intent, when she had snuck into the occupied bathroom, had _not_ been to spy. She'd only meant to dart in, grab her makeup case, and depart quickly, but one glance to her right had turned her legs to jelly.

She could never get enough of him. It wasn't as if she hadn't spent the night with him, their limbs tangled, sheets twisted around them…it wasn't even as if she had only started dating him. She had had plenty of time to watch him, be around him, and touch him in the years that they had been together – the months that they had been married. Maybe it was the 'newlywed' status that gave her goosebumps, and made her tingly all over.

Kaoru tightened her grip around her legs and let out a heavy sigh. She was going to be late for her outing with Misao if she dallied around for much longer. While tapping her fingers against her bare calves, she lifted her head and watched her husband lean into the water spray to wash the shampoo from his long hair. Her fingers suddenly itched for those crimson strands.

Bracing one hand against the wall, he remained unmoving for a good minute before shifting and pressing his hand to his face. Kaoru's eyes followed him as he turned off the water and reached for the shower curtain.

When his amethyst gaze caught hers as he moved the curtain aside, there was no flicker of surprise in his eyes, only a deep-seated amusement. His lips curled the smallest amount as he reached for a green towel on the rack beside him.

"Took your sweet time in there," Kaoru remarked as she watched him unabashedly. She slackened her grip from around her legs and let them drop down, dangling from the countertop.

Kenshin quirked a brow as he wrapped the towel snuggly around his hips. Smile widening, he stepped slowly over to her. "Complaining?" he queried softly, hands gripping either of her legs to pull them gently apart, allowing him to stand in-between them.

A devious grin slipped over her lips as she grabbed the top of the towel tied around his waist and pulled him closer to her. "Mmm…no."

She leaned into him as his arms slowly wrapped around her, bringing her body up against his wet skin. As his lips covered her hers, she couldn't help the hushed laughter that escaped her.

Misao would just have to wait…


	2. An Unusual Reaction, Pt 1

**Author's Note**: This didn't come out at all like I had originally expected. It's one of those stories that ran away with itself while I was writing. I'm not sure if that's a good thing or not…

It is in Kaoru's POV.

**Disclaimer**: I do not own Rurouni Kenshin.

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**Title**: An Unusual Reaction

**Request from**: _Nujin_

**Word Count**: 2,206

**Rating**: PG…I guess…

**Request**: KK, preferably AU.

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I tapped my fingers against the countertop noisily as I glanced at the longhand clock mounted above the doorway. Only fifteen more minutes before I was free of this prison. Sighing, I shifted my gaze to run a cursory scan over the occupants of the convenience store, reassuring myself that all was well.

Only three people were wandering through the aisles, perusing the small collection of food and household products that were stocked on the shelves. My father stood in the far corner next to the large coolers that contained soft drinks and the like, taking note of inventory. The only other employee of the store, a short, red-haired young man, was currently stocking the candy aisle.

Peripheral movement caught my attention as a stout man with a ruddy complexion ambled up to the counter. He had a fake, saccharine smile pasted on his lips that made me want to grimace, but instead, I curled my lips in a similar greeting. He placed his chosen items down, and I quickly rang them up, accepted his money, and finally handed him back change with a recipe and his bagged items. I didn't watch him leave.

I glanced at the clock again, and then pursed my lips with annoyance when realizing only two minutes had passed. To distract myself, I straightened the chocolate candies next to the cash register. I longed to grab one of the magazines displayed not five feet from me, but that was unfortunately against the rules.

"What time is your class again, Kaoru?"

Turning my head, I watched as my father came to a stop in front of me. His eyebrows were raised quizzically, and mouth slanted downward in a contemplative frown.

"About an hour," I responded.

He nodded to himself. "I know I said that you could leave soon, but could you go over and help Kenshin stock? I forgot that he needs to get off at the same time as you, so the scheduling is all messed up."

I leaned against the counter, and despite my slight frustration at this new development, I felt a smile curl my lips. "Didn't I tell you to start taking those vitamins that help with memory?" I teased.

He raised his eyes heavenward is amused exasperation before sending me a mild glare.

"Yes, yes. I'll help him, but you have to promise me you'll wash the dinner dishes tonight."

My smile broadened into a grin when he humphed loudly. "Fine," he muttered gruffly while moving behind the counter. Nudging me in the back, he said, "Get going. I'll man the register. The faster you stock, the less time you have to stay."

I moved away from the cash resister somewhat slowly despite my father's urging, my eyes trained on the young man, this Kenshin, that I had yet to actually meet.

The convenience store was family owned and operated. My grandfather had started it, and my father had inherited it from him and had continued to run it over the years. I had worked odd jobs throughout the store my entire life, and now, I spent my free time in-between my university classes helping my father run it. He always employed two to three others to assist in keeping everything in running order. Last week, one of the employees had quit, and while I had been away with a friend for the weekend, my father had hired Kenshin. Today was the first day that our work schedules had collided.

There was something about him – something I couldn't quite put my finger on - that had immediately captured my attention when he had arrived at the store earlier. His crimson hair, his short stature, his unusual features, and the violet eyes that I had seen when our gazes had clashed for only a moment when he had arrived…everything about him made me unusually curious. And as I stepped over to his stooped form, I couldn't help but smile friendlily.

"I've been ordered to help you finish stocking since you need to leave relatively soon," I began, capturing his attention immediately.

He swung his gaze to mine. If from a distance his eyes had been intriguing, up close they were mesmerizing. I had never seen such a layered, vibrant violet before. I felt like drowning in that odd sparkle of color, and the twist of unusual depth they held. I barely noticed his lips move as he spoke to me.

Blinking, I cleared my throat to help straighten my thoughts. "I'm sorry, I didn't catch that."

His lips curved minutely. "I only have one box left."

I broke eye contact with him before I lapsed into another daze of inanity. "Right. I'll just…," I trailed off as I stumbled for the right words. "I'll just get to work," I finished lamely.

Good grief! Where had my brain run off to?

As I moved to open the box, I bit my lower lip and tried to adjust my ambling thoughts. I shoved my hands into the box to grab candy in an attempt distract myself from the odd reaction I was having toward Kenshin. The two of us fell into a silent routine of stocking the shelves for the following handful of minutes. I was just thinking about how nice the quiet was – I couldn't make an idiot of myself if I didn't speak – when he asked me a simple question.

"So you're a student at the university as well?"

"Yes, I am." I paused. "You are, too?"

He hummed lightly in accordance. "I have a class I need to get to, which is why I have to leave early."

I stopped midway through placing a candy bar on the shelf and turned to stare at him. "Oh. What a small world. That's exactly why I have to leave soon."

He didn't return my stare, and so I watched his profile as he straightened newly stocked items. "Do you like your classes?" he inquired.

I shrugged. "Some are a necessary evil to graduate, while some are definitely more interesting. Thankfully tonight's class is one that I look forward to," I responded.

He reached into the box and pulled out the last handful of chocolate bars. "I know exactly what you mean."

I watched as he placed the candy on the shelf, and then I stepped back and shoved my hands into the back pockets if my jeans. He straightened and turned his head to smile cordially at me. My heart did some odd somersault in my chest in reaction to that innocuous smile of his, and I was horrified to feel my cheeks begin to burn as redness crept over my face. My first impulse was to slap my hands against my face to hide the blush and dash away, but thankfully I didn't…that would have made me look even dumber than I already felt.

"Done," he said smoothly, amusement creeping into his gaze as he stared at me. He could see the damn blush...that knowledge inevitably made my cheeks burn even hotter.

I blinked once, twice, and somehow managed to find my voice."Good. Great!" I croaked.

I could only imagine what I looked like to him: cherry red cheeks, confused blue eyes, grimacing lips…frog voice. This reaction of mine was just plain _annoying_. If I didn't get away from him soon...I shudder to think what might happen. Being around this young man for only a few short minutes had me flustered in a way I had never been before in my life. My palms even felt slightly sweaty.

I motioned behind myself, and said, "I better get going. It was nice to meet you, Kenshin."

He opened his mouth to reply, but I moved away too quickly to hear what he said. I headed to the back room of the store where I had left my backpack. My textbooks were strewn all over the break table, and I hastily moved to organize them and shove them in my bag. When I left the room with my backpack swung over my shoulder, I waved a quick goodbye to my father and hurried out of the store as if my pants were on fire.

I've never exactly been a graceful person, but before today I'd never been what you could call clumsy or tongue-tied. In fact, I'd never reacted to a man in that way before…_ever. _Where had my confidence, my poise, my composure gone to? For that matter, where had my mind disappeared to? Europe? China? Outer space? I had always been amused by girls who blushed. It was a silly, childish reaction, right? I rolled my eyes.

I hated this odd feeling of being out of my element.

"Kaoru! Wait up," a familiar voice yelled behind me.

I turned, caught sight of the sudden bane of my existence, took a step back – and plowed into a trash can. I jumped forward with a ridiculously high-pitched screech and smacked right into Kenshin's chest. How had he gotten so close to me so quickly?

If my sudden outburst surprised him, he didn't show it thankfully. My ears were bright red with embarrassment, though. I'm sure that looked attractive.

"You mind if I walk with you since we're going the same way?"

"Uh, well, no…I guess not." I barely managed to contain my grimace. 'Pedestrians beware,' my mind trumpeted.

My backpack had begun to slip down my arm and I grabbed at it blindly. I sidestepped the trash can and motioned with my shoulder. Together, we began to walk down the sidewalk.

"What building on campus are you heading to?" he asked.

"Lafeger Hall."

I could hear the smile in his voice when he spoke. "Me, too."

Turning my gaze to his, my eyes wide with surprise, I replied, "Seriously?"

"Why would I lie?"

I opened my mouth to reply, but stopped. Why indeed? I shrugged instead.

"Well, I guess I could be a stalker of some sort," Kenshin said contemplatively, answering his own question. "Or an ex-con who just escaped from jail, or - "

"Or a crazy person with a large imagination," I cut in.

He chuckled. "That, too." He looked over at me as we walked. "So you're Mr. Kamiya's daughter, right?"

I nodded. "I help around the store in-between classes. It's easy to walk back and forth between the store and school since they aren't far from each other."

"That's one of the reasons that I applied for the job. I needed another outlet of income, so I turned to one of the easiest and more convenient options available."

I smiled slightly in response, but kept silent.

The following quiet that descended followed the two of us as we walked down the moderately crowded sidewalk. The lack of conversation was welcoming, and I got the feeling that he didn't exactly want to delve into a deep discussion. The walk, to my surprise, was relaxing, blissfully uneventful, and somehow strangely intimate. I honestly don't know how to describe it properly, except to say that some of my nervous reservations about Kenshin slipped away.

It was kind of nice.

When we came to Lafeger Hall, and stepped inside the building, he turned slightly to go down a hallway opposite of me.

"I'm glad we walked together."

Instead of embarrassing myself with a lame reply, I merely smiled at him. I watched as he turned and headed down the hall. With a sigh, I moved to the stairway. I traveled up three floors, walked down two hallways, and finally came to the door of the chemistry lab that my class would be held in.

The first day of class always made me slightly nervous – maybe that's one of the reasons I was so on edge when around Kenshin today. Pulling out the sheet of paper that listed my room assignments for classes, I double-checked before I walked inside. Yep, right one. With a shallow sigh, I stepped into the laboratory. Only a small handful of people were already in attendance. I quickly found a seat and as I waited for the lab to start, I slowly began to relax.

I loved chemistry lab. The hands-on experience, the wide variety of experiments, the element of the unknown that went with every lab performed had always fascinated me. If there was one class that I knew I would look forward to every week, it would be this one – hands down. Even the distinct aroma of the numerous chemicals had me biting my lip with anticipation as I waited impatiently.

After ten minutes, the lab was almost completely full. And when the scheduled time for the lab to begin was reached, a familiar redhead walked through the doorway. My stomach drooped a little. He was in this class, too? Oh, good grief…

But my eyes widened and I felt my pencil drop from limp fingers when he stepped up in front of the blackboard in the room, placed his bag on the desk and promptly said, "Hello, everyone. My name is Kenshin Himura, and I'm a graduate student here at the university in the process of getting my master's degree in instrumental chemistry. For this semester, I'll be your lab instructor."

And at that moment, I knew I was in serious trouble.


	3. Midnight Run

**Author's Note**: Quite a few people asked if I planned on continuing the previous drabble 'An Unusual Reaction', and my reply to that is most likely _yes_. However, when I will do it, I have no idea. I have a different drabble I need to write before that one. Thanks for the reviews for both of the previous drabbles!

**Disclaimer**: I do not own Rurouni Kenshin.

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**Title**: Midnight Run

**Words**: 2,543

**Rating**: PG-13

**Request from**: _Ravyn_

**Request**: A were-species (I picked werewolves) and WAFF for KK.

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The darkness was all-encompassing – the full, luminescent moon intoxicating. My body shivered with visible anticipation as I crouched low, burying my muzzle in the wet grass. As I inched forward, I pressed my forelegs to the ground, and raised my haunches slightly. The night smelled heavily of rich, pulsating life: wildlife and plant alike. Even with my heightened sense of smell, it was sometimes difficult to differentiate one scent from the multitude of others. But, this one - the one that I coveted - grabbed a hold of me immediately. Lips curling over canines, I grinned with feral excitement and launched myself from my hiding place.

The pads of my feet were light against the brush as I made my way through the dense foliage of the forest. Despite the heavy cover of my thick fur, the chilly bite of the night caused an involuntary shiver to course through me. My breath formed a small, thick cloud as I wove in and out of the many trees, my presence a mere whisper of wind against the leaves. I kept my head low, close to the trail of scent that lured me.

The silence that accompanied my movement kept me alert. I was used to hunting with a partner, and the knowledge that no other ran beside me was more unsettling that I would have originally thought. It reminded of days when I had been completely alone in the world, afraid of what had become of my body after an attack by a feral animal. My body altered, my mind altered, my very existence altered. Heightened senses to the elements, abilities I had never known existed – the terrifying and painful shaping of my body into a wolf. I shivered slightly when I thought back to those days of uncertainty and fear. It was a distant memory that I kept pushed in the back of my mind.

If I hadn't stumbled upon by my current companions, I'm not sure what would have become of me. And I don't wish to theorize about it. They found me alone and bleeding in the middle of the forest during one of their night runs. I had been shot by a hunter the previous day, and I was perilously near death. Amazingly enough, a doctor was in their ranks, and she had been able to heal the wounds of my body within a few weeks. The wounds of my mind took a little longer, however. After a few months in their care, I was finally welcomed into their pack…my pack. My family.

They told me that is wasn't uncommon to find rogue werewolves such as me. Despite the system of order that dominated the werewolf world, there were still those who wished to have no part of the order. They broke from tradition and led solitary lives. They lived by their own laws. They preyed on humans. And those victims who did not die from their attacks, like me, became a changeling. Some weren't able to handle the sudden abilities thrust upon them, and they ended their own lives. Others lost their lives because of ignorance and unfortunate circumstances. Some stayed rogues their entire lives. Some were found by packs and taken in to be tutored about the ways of the werewolf. If deemed worthy, they were accepted into a pack.

In this country, there are eight established packs. The alpha of each pack is required to be true born, with two werewolves as biological parents, not made like me. The size of the packs varies from eight to twenty adult members. All the packs answer to an assembly of elders who control the order of our society. A gathering of alphas and elders is held once every decade to keep the packs aligned.

My pack is the smallest at eight adults and two fosterlings. Pack members typically settle in the close vicinity of each other, although they aren't required to. Outside of required quarterly meetings, we are free to roam and travel wherever we please. But, while we may feel the bite of wandering for a short time, the pull of our kind is amazingly strong.

Two years ago, my pack settled in a small town wrapped by wilderness, wonderfully isolated from the prying of the outside world. My pack alpha purchased a large expanse of land rich with wildlife, which we used for our runs without the fear of discovery. The freedom it gave us was vitalizing. The house I lived in bordered this land, and it was with great ease that I was able to immerse myself in dark abyss of the forest this night.

The scent of prey grew stronger as I grew closer. My mind lost all connection to the surrounding world as I became solely focused on it. Twenty feet. Fifteen feet. Ten feet. At five feet away, I lowered myself quickly to the ground, and peered into the small clearing from the behind the concealment of a thick bush.

The young rabbit was foraging through the dirt, its nose twitching, ears pointed forward as it examined the ground. The pounding of my heart increased as I trembled with excitement. It had yet to detect my presence, and that knowledge did nothing to calm the heavy beating in my chest. My muscles strained as I readied myself to attack, and there was a roaring in my ears the made me oblivious to all else.

And then…

Unbelievably, amidst my intense concentration, my excitement, and my thirst for the hunt…

I felt _his_ presence.

I straightened from my hiding place, and stood. The rabbit instantly caught sight of me, and bolted. I didn't watch as it escaped, in fact, I suddenly didn't even careif it got away. I turned slowly, and my eyes caught sight of him immediately.

He stood in human form, his back resting against the trunk of a tree, his arms crossed over his chest. His long crimson hair, tied back in a low ponytail, was mussed from sleep, and all he wore was a pair of plaid pajama bottoms. His chest was bare. The pose of relaxation and nonchalance he held was anything but – his eyes flashed with an irritation beyond words, while the straight line of his lips showed his immense displeasure at my actions. He made no move to come near me, while I made no move to go closer to him.

I knew he understood why I was out running alone. And at the same time, that despite this understanding, he did _not_ approve. As my alpha, he was in the position to reprimand me for going on a lone run – an action he had explicitly told me not to do only hours ago – yet as my mate, he had _far_ more insight into why exactly I had done so, which made him slightly more lenient.

Kenshin's eyes narrowed as he pierced me with a questioning glare. The reason for my lone run weighed upon me heavily at that moment.

An hour ago, an irrational fear had controlled my every thought. All because of a child. My child.

Our child.

Pregnancy was not something I had ever expected. While not unheard of, it was rare enough, especially with made werewolves, to make me skeptical that I'd ever conceive, so I had pushed the concept into the back of my mind. Not forgotten, but ignored. So when Megumi, the female doctor in my pack, had informed me about my pregnancy, I had been completely blindsided. And, at first, happy beyond belief.

Then, a stray notion had clouded any rational thought, and left me shaken, paranoid and scared. Dread replaced happiness. Fear replaced excitement.

The difference in morphology between human and wolf is great – what if my body changed and my child's did not? At first I told myself that this was silly, and that I was just being overly paranoid. Other female werewolves had birthed children, and both mother and child had gone through the process wonderfully. I can't explain the odd fear that took root in my heart. I became consumed with the fear of miscarriage.

Kenshin had tried his best to help me forget the terrifying implications of my thoughts. Even with his support, my mind continued to torment me. The call of my body to change began to press heavily against me, but I couldn't travel into the forest to even attempt changing. I remained in this mindset for too long. By ignoring the need to change, I was slowly torturing myself. I knew this. He knew this. The pack knew this.

Earlier this night, we had decided that Kenshin and I would go into the forest the following morning, and I would try my best to change. At first I found it odd that he felt it was imperative that he be there with me, and then I knew he only wanted to go to show support, to help, to be there if anything should go wrong. He had told me only a few hours ago not leave the house if he wasn't with me. Maybe it was selfish of me to journey away without him, and leave him in our bed as he slept, but I didn't regret my decision.

Changing in the dark – alone - had been terrifying. But, if he had been there, I might have backed out; I might have given myself excuses. As I had tried to sleep tonight with him beside me, his arms wrapped around me, cradling me, keeping me safe, I had realized that my problem could only be resolved alone. These were my personal demons, and only I would be able to subdue them.

And so I went.

And I changed. _I changed_. My body still thrummed with exhilaration at that thought; my soul sang with the full moon that hung high above me, framed by the night sky. Those few moments that I readied myself for the change are not some that I ever wish to relive, but now that I know all my previous fears had been irrational ones, I felt so utterly _free_.

However, I know that I caused him to worry when he woke and I was gone.

As he stood before me now, many emotions warred in his gaze: annoyance, fear, apprehension, relief, happiness. I took a step towards him, my head lowered in a sign of respect. His eyes immediately narrowed and he pushed away from the tree.

I watched as he slipped his fingers beneath the waistband of his pants, and quickly slipped them off. As he lowered himself to the ground; he kept his eyes on mine. Our gazes stayed connected as he changed, his body shaping into the other form that hid under his human skin.

The shaping was quick, and soon he stood before me as a wolf. Amber had merged with the deep violet of his eyes, and left them a bright molten yellow. His heavy coat of fur was a rich, vibrant red, an almost unheard of color for werewolves. The moonlight glinted off him, giving him an almost mystical appearance. Everything about him intensified when he changed – his behavior became more primal, driven by instinct. It was easier for him to hold back when a human, but as a wolf, reservations dissipated and emotion controlled his senses. I could see his possessiveness of me flash in his vivid gaze.

He stalked toward me, his head held high. When he came to me, he lowered his muzzle to my fur, and sniffed me along my sides, my back, my belly, my face. I nudged his muzzle with my own, and made a slight whimpering sound in the back of my throat. He nipped at the air in front of my face in reprimand and gave a soft growl of displeasure. Normally, that reaction would have irritated me, but tonight I felt wonderfully liberated from the fear I had enshrouded myself with for too long, so I did what he least expected: I jumped forward and nipped him in the flank before jumping away playfully and darting into the woods.

He let out a deep rumble of disgruntled surprise and jolted off after me immediately. As ran, I could hear him closely behind me, his strides long, his breathing slow and collected. He could have caught up if he had wanted to, but he held back for some reason. I took advantage of his hesitation and surged forward with more speed, my feet carrying me fast and sure. We ran like this for a short time – me ahead, him behind. I led us to the clearing our pack usually converged to during our runs. It's a wonderful place to tussle, romp, and interact with one another.

I jumped over a fallen log, and landed right on the outskirts of the grassy clearing. I slowed my pace, lowered my head to sniff my surroundings for other woodland life, and then let out a soft snort when I knew Kenshin and I were alone. When I stepped out from the cover of the trees, I trotted to an area with thick, long grass and stopped. With a happy growl, I rolled over onto the ground, and rubbed my muzzle against the moist soil. I heard him come to a stop beside me, and peered up at him through the grass blades that blocked my view. His amber eyes were bright, intense and unyielding.

I should have been surprised when he pounced, but I wasn't. This tussle was not a playful, bonding tangle of limbs, but one of frustration and reproof. He was gentle as he lightly nipped at me as we twisted together on the ground, and careful of my condition, but I could feel the tension that filled his body. With a snarl, I kicked my legs up into his underbelly and shouldered him to the ground. He didn't resist.

We stared each other for a moment, before I whined and lowered my head to nuzzle his neck. It was a gesture of apology, submission, and affection. Slowly, I felt the tautness drain from his body and beneath me, he shifted.

I hadn't realized he had changed back until I felt his human hand tangle with the fur on my sides. I blinked at him and licked his cheek before closing my eyes and changing back into a human myself.

We lay there in the middle of the clearing - naked, hidden by the heavy cover of the long grass. His hands were warm against the skin of my hips.

"You should have told me," he voiced softly.

"You wouldn't have let me go."

He didn't deny that statement, which amused me. "Just be careful, Kaoru."

I smiled and hummed softly under my breath to reassure him. His eyes were solemn, and colored that beautiful violet that made my knees weak and my breath short. I slid my fingers across his cheek and into his hair before leaning down and settling my lips against his. It was a soft, languid joining of mouths that ignited a smoldering fire inside me.

"You worry too much," I murmured against his lips.

He shook his head the smallest amount in denial, and then kissed me some more.


	4. Mumble

**Disclaimer**: I do not own Rurouni Kenshin.

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**Title**: Mumble

**Rating**: PG-13

**Words**: 419

**Request from**: JediJaina

**Request**: College Fic. KK.

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She likes to mumble while she's asleep.

Her brow always puckers, and her lips slant downward into a small, disgruntled frown right before her fists clench the sheet, or his shirt if he's wearing one. And then she utters something that's completely unintelligible most of the time.

Tonight, her hot breath heats the skin of his neck as she mutters something his ears can't quite catch. He holds her close to him – partly because the mattress of his bunk bed is so tiny, and partly because it's a cold night, and there's a bitter bite in the air that his heater can't quite cover. His roommate is gone for the night, so he and Kaoru are alone. It's the only reason she agreed to stay in his dorm room. Normally, he'd just stay over at her room. She always has more privacy, because she has no roommate.

A long night of studying kept them up most of the night, and by the time they finished, it was too late for her to walk home. So she stayed with him.

He'd like to say that they fell onto his small mattress, their limbs intertwining, their lips melding, hands traveling, but…that would be a lie. Unfortunately, they're both entirely too tired tonight. He's content to have her curl around his form, her face press against his neck, her arms around him.

The math test they spent so much time studying for looms heavily over him, and he knows he needs sleep so he can be fully rested in the morning. However, he can only sigh to himself when her scent distracts him, and her fingers grip his shirt. Her lips move against his neck again as she speaks.

This time he hears her words.

"Don't leave me."

He closes his eyes and smiles at her request. Turning to his side, he wraps his arms around her and pulls her more tightly against his chest. She responds unconsciously by burrowing into his chest, a soft moan resonating in her throat. He brushes a lock of her dark hair from her face.

A handful of minutes later, he drifts off.

He wakes to her voice – angry and frantic. He forgot to set the alarm. They scurry about his dorm room quickly, papers flying, clothes rustling. They make it to the test on time, but he doesn't think he did well. He's too busy wondering if he has a concussion from where the alarm clock hit him in the head. Kaoru has wonderful aim.


	5. An Unusual Reaction, Pt 2

**Author's Note**: Here's another small bit to 'An Unusual Reaction'. I do plan on writing a few more drabbles associated with this plotline, because I'm beginning the really like the possibilities it has. Hope everyone enjoys this addition.

It's in Kaoru's POV again.

Sidenote: TA means 'Teacher's Assitant'. Graduate students who are lab instructers are often referred to as this.

**Disclaimer**: I do not own Rurouni Kenshin.

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**Title**: An Unusual Reaction, Pt. 2  
**Rating**: PG-13  
**Words**: 975  
**Request from**: Numerous reviewers.  
**Request**: RK drabble. KK pairing.

-------------------------------------

I could feel his stare burning a hole into the back of my lab coat. In an attempt to distract myself, I caught my lower lip in between my teeth and cleared my throat. Eyes glued to my work, I tipped the graduated cylinder to pour the acid into the flask that contained the solution for my experiment. The person beside me turned on the sink with a bit more vigor than they should have, and an explosive spray of water erupted from the faucet, spraying my arm and causing me to jerk. Half of the acid I was pouring missed the flask, and spilled across the front of my workstation, narrowly missing my notebook.

A curse built in my throat, but came out as an unrecognizable garble when Kenshin appeared at my side, his head bent as he quickly went about to cleaning up my mess. Before I could even question his actions – I was perfectly capable of taking care of my own mishaps – he remarked, "Kind of jumpy today, Kaoru."

"I'm not usually so clumsy," I grumbled as I set down the flask and placed my gloved hand on top of my workstation.

But of course he wouldn't have known that. I was a walking, talking, breathing disaster area – at least when around him. Not only had my discomfiture grown worse since our original meeting, but now, two weeks later, I felt like throwing myself off a building, because I had made so much of a fool of myself recently.

Kenshin merely smiled at me in that kind, 'whatever you say, Kaoru' way of his that was beginning to drive me crazy. "If you need any help, just ask and I'll see what I can do."

_Run._ My mind screamed. _Get away from me if you value your life._ I had to stop myself from snorting.

"I'm fine," I replied, reaching up and pushing my safety goggles more securely on my face. "Thanks."

A girl in the front row called for Kenshin, and he left my side to answer her question. Sucking in a deep breath, I grabbed my graduated cylinder and moved back over to the fume hood to replenish my supply of the acid I had lost.

As I continued to run the experiment, I tried to avoid looking anywhere but at my glassware, chemicals, and sink. Avoiding Kenshin's gaze helped to lessen the nervous tension that surrounded me, and allowed me to work with at least some efficiency. After loosing all of my product last week from dropping the vial that contained it, which had resulted in broken glass and scattered crystals, I needed to be as careful as possible. My grade for the lab would suffer from another similar loss.

An hour and half later, I was done. Finished. And not only that, my product was perfect. I felt like melting into a puddle of relief on the floor, but that would have made me look even odder than I knew I appeared, so I merely smiled happily.

After putting away my supplies, gathering my books, and leaving the vial containing my product on the counter with everyone else's, I bolted without a parting glance.

If I was lucky, my schedule wouldn't clash with Kenshin's until the following week when lab reconvened.

* * *

I was not so lucky. The next day, Kenshin walked into the store as I was stocking the freezers with beverages. I was almost tempted to climb in with the drinks and lock myself away when I spotted his familiar red hair. Unfortunately, I wouldn't fit in the tight space. 

He worked at the register while I continued to stock for the next hour, which was a relief. I managed to hide myself in the corner of the store opposite him and whittle away my time doing mindless work. When my father approached me and told me to go on break, I sighed, stepped away from the remaining objects that still needed to be stocked, and meandered over to the break room. I was customarily allowed a half-hour reprieve, and that much time allowed me to get some school-work done.

With a sigh, I settled down at the break table, and pulled out the materials I needed to start writing the lab report for yesterday's chemistry lab. The earlier I finished the report, the better.

I must have become so involved with my work that I lost all touch with reality. I didn't even know he was next to me until he spoke and scared the utter crap out me. I barely heard his words over my frantic heartbeat.

"…and I think you should change that," he finished.

I blinked, frowned, and raised an eyebrow. "Sorry?"

He smiled that frustrating smile of his again, and repeated himself. "You wrote down the mechanism for the reaction incorrectly. You mixed up the electrophile and nucleophile," he said, his finger on my paper as he pointed out my error.

My lips parted, and I leaned back in my chair only to bump into his chest. I immediately hunched back over the table as my cheeks heated with a mixture of embarrassment and something else that I did _not_ want to analyze.

"Oh. Thanks for the pointer," I replied.

"No problem."

He moved away from me and went over to where we kept the mop bucket and mop. He dunked the mop into the water, squeezed out the excess moisture and moved to leave the room.

I spoke even before I realized what I was doing. "You know most of the TAs I've had wouldn't have volunteered their help like that. Unasked, I mean. Usually I have to hunt them down."

He paused in the doorway and shrugged. "Guess I'm not 'most' TAs."

After he left, I couldn't help the small quirk the tipped my lips. He most certainly was not.


	6. An Unusual Reaction, Pt 3

**Author's Note**: I had too much fun writing this one. 'Nother one for the 'An Unusual Reaction' series.

It's in Kaoru's POV.

**Disclaimer**: I do not own Rurouni Kenshin.

-------------------------------------------

**Title**: An Unusual Reaction, Pt. 3  
**Rating**: PG-13-ish…(cough) beware of the lime (cough)  
**Words**: 1,556  
**Request from**: Many reviewers.  
**Request**: RK drabble. KK pairing.

-------------------------------------------

"We shouldn't be doing this," I murmured against Kenshin's lips, my hands fisted in the front of his shirt.

In response, he leaned forward, pushing my back against the wall. As he brushed a slip of stray hair behind my ear, he lifted his amethyst gaze to mine, making my stomach flip disconcertingly. I leaned my head back, bumping it on the wall while lowering my eyelashes slightly to lessen the hold of his hypnotizing stare.

"I'm one of your students," I argued weakly, my voice traitorously husky.

Kenshin's mouth quirked to the side, and he brushed his lips over mine lightly. "You won't be forever," he murmured.

I sucked in a breath as his fingers slipped underneath the fabric of my shirt and spread across my stomach. "Still," I continued in vain. "You know it's wrong."

He tipped his head and angled his lips over mine, halting my half-hearted protests. Blindly, I grasped his shoulders to steady myself as his mouth pressed possessively against mine. The softness, the playfulness, and the sheer exhilaration of the pleasurable contact made my heart race. In a bold move, caught his lower lip in between my teeth and nipped lightly. When he chuckled softly in response, I slid my arms around his neck to press myself more fully against him.

I can't be certain how long we stayed tangled that way, but when he pulled away from me, out of breath and mussed, there was an intense look in his eyes that made me pause, and for a moment I thought he was about to make an incredibly sappy declaration of his feelings. I held my breath.

"Kaoru." He paused for a moment. "Can I borrow some paper towels?"

I froze.

Blinking, I slowly surfaced. Reality blurred with fantasy, and suddenly I felt like a complete moron. A boy stood in front of me, an eyebrow raised, his expression dubious.

"You mind if borrow some paper towels, Kaoru?" he asked again.

I barely managed to choke out a yes. He took a few sheets and went back to his workstation.

Daydreaming in the middle of lab - was I completely retarded, or just mental? I had finally taken that leap over the deep end and landed in hell. Cheeks burning, hands sweaty, I gritted my teeth in an attempt to purge those traitorous thoughts from mind. I had finally reached that horrible place beyond mortification.

Pushing my overlong bangs from my eyes, I leaned against the counter and took a deep breath. My experimental solution boiled on the hot plate in front of me. I stiffened when I heard someone come to a stop beside me.

"Kaoru, are you okay?" asked the man who was currently wreaking havoc with my head.

Glancing up at him was a mistake I realized too late. The Kenshin of my fantasies merged with the polite lab instructor and all I could see was smoky eyes, swollen lips, and mussed hair. Shaking my head soundlessly, I stepped back, turned and hurried out of the room. Leaving the room while running an experiment would get me into a heap of trouble, but at the moment all I could think about was getting away.

After stepping into the hall, I half ran to the women's restroom. When inside, I locked myself in one of the stalls, leaned forward, placed my heated skin against the cool metal and let out a heavy sigh.

* * *

There was one place in the world that allowed me to think clearly. I had found it with my father years ago when walking home from elementary school. Ever since, it had been my secret place – my thinking spot.

The bench was situated underneath a massive oak tree, whose branches reached across the sky and shaded the small spot. While the park was hardly deserted, it was far enough from the walking path to be slightly isolated, but not dangerously so. My backpack sat on the old bench next to me. I had pulled my legs up against my chest and wrapped my arms around them in a loose hold. The air was chilly enough to make me shiver slightly, but I wasn't particularly bothered by it.

When I had returned to the lab after darting out like a scared rabbit yesterday, I'd told Kenshin a lame excuse about feeling sick to my stomach. I know he wasn't stupid enough to believe it, but he'd been gracious enough not to give me the third degree. Hopefully, he just shrugged off my behavior to the constant roller coaster of female hormones, or something along those lines. There was hardly a chance he'd guess the true reason for my discomfiture.

The fact that only several more weeks of the semester remained and lab would be over in two of those brought some comfort. I knew he was graduating at the end of the semester as well, so the chance of getting him as a TA again was next to nothing. With any luck, I would be able to return to the confident experimenter that I was before he had turned my mind upside-down.

A flash of movement just to my left caught my eye, and I turned to see what it was. I almost groaned out loud, but caught myself. Of all the places in the entire city for him to be…

It felt as if the whole world was against me.

Kenshin seemed surprised to see me as he walked down the park's path. He came to a slow halt, his eyes on my lone form. He appeared to be at odds about whether to walk over or not. I secretly urged him forward.

'_Leave the crazy girl alone. Walk on,'_ my mind intoned.

He turned and began walking towards me. Apparently my telepathic abilities were nonexistent - what a shocker.

My grip on my legs loosened and I lowered them to the ground. As he came closer, I noticed a quizzical smile on his lips. He had a small bag slung over one shoulder and held a cup of coffee and brown paper sac in one hand.

"Mind if I sit?"

Outwardly, I shook my head. Inwardly, I cringed.

He settled at the opposite end of the bench, my backpack in-between the two of us. An awkward silence fell and remained for about a minute; I was perfectly content with the lack of dialogue, but apparently he had something on his mind.

Kenshin cleared his throat, and said bluntly, "Is there something I did or said to upset you?" He paused. "I can't help but notice that you're…a little jumpy around me."

I turned my eyes to his. He looked so puzzled that I couldn't help but feel slightly amused. "No. You did nothing wrong. I know this might sound a little clichéd, but it's all me." I gave him a weak imitation if a smile. "There's no need for you worry."

"Are you sure?"

I nodded.

He was silent for a moment as he took an absent sip of the coffee he held in his hand. "Come out here to study?"

"Hmm, no. This is a good place for thinking about the woes of life," I replied with a wry twist of my lips.

He hid a smile behind the rim of his coffee cup. "Ah, I see. Quiet time, right?"

"Exactly."

I watched him with mild interest as he set his small bag down on the bench and pulled out a worn paperback book. "I hope you don't mind if I read a little bit." He caught my gaze with his and raised an eyebrow in question.

There was no escape it seemed. While I did wish that he had found a different bench in the park to glue himself to, I could never be purposely rude and shoo him away. "Do whatever suits you," I replied.

He had been reading and I had gone back to watching the people meandering through the park when I heard him rustle about with that brown paper sac he'd brought with him. I turned to catch him pull out something wrapped in saran wrap.

He caught my eye and cocked his head to the side. "Muffin?"

"Oh, no, I couldn't."

"I get the feeling you could use it more than me," he replied, his tone light. He was staring at me with the oddest expression. I opened my mouth to refuse again, but something stopped me. I sighed, and with a small smile held out my palm. His gaze softened and he placed the muffin in my outstretched hand.

"It's blueberry."

My lips slowly curved into a surprised smile. "My favorite."

I unwrapped it, took a bite, and leaned back against the bench. Glancing at him out of the corner of my eye, I noticed he had gone back to reading his book, his expression serious; his bangs slipped into his eyes, and he absently brushed them away. As I took another bite of the muffin, I turned my gaze to the sky to watch the languorous crawl of the clouds. At least in silence, I couldn't make idiot out of myself. Relaxing, I shifted on the bench and snuck another glance at him. He really was rather cute while concentrating.

I caught myself, frowned, and averted my eyes.

Staring would get me into trouble.


	7. An Unusual Reaction, Pt 4

**Author's Note**: I have just one more small drabble planned for this series, and then I plan on moving onto something different. Hope everyone enjoys this addition. Thanks for all the reviews – I appreciate _all_ of them.

Once again, it's in Kaoru's POV.

**Disclaimer**: I do not own Rurouni Kenshin.

-----------------------------------

**Title**: An Unusual Reaction, Pt. 4  
**Rating**: PG-13  
**Words**: 2,600  
**Request from**: Many reviewers.  
**Request**: RK drabble. KK pairing.

-----------------------------------

I sat at my workstation in the lab, my hands folded in my lap and my eyes glued to the blackboard. I was early; there were only four other students currently in the room. My promptness was intentional. Last night, I had come to the conclusion that I had to get this odd obsession for Kenshin out of my system. When that was done, I'd be able to move on and shed this clumsiness permanently, an exhilarating thought.

Arriving early was, I guess, a way to purge myself of any doubts. I could say I wasn't nervous, but that would be an obvious lie. Logistically, the plan I had devised wouldn't be problematic, because Kenshin was neither taller nor shorter than me. The big question was whether or not I had the nerve to go through with it. But after feeling unsteady and awkward for so long, I was more than ready to steal my composure back. My plan had to be done today; it was the last I could be absolutely sure I would see him. His final day of working at the convenience store had been two days ago, and this would be the last lab session.

There would be no experiment today; our only tasks were to (a) make sure that our supply cabinets still contained the correct glassware and instruments, and to (b) hand over our final lab report. My lab report sat on the counter before me, stapled and ready to be handed it, and I was pretty sure I'd maintained my cabinet well over the semester – but there was a possibility that during one of my brainless escapades I had misplaced something.

As more students filtered into the room over a ten minute period, my nervousness slowly dissipated. I felt almost calm when Kenshin finally arrived, barely on time. He was dressed in a white-button up shirt, tie, and dress pants. If it had been a normal lab session, he would never have shown up wearing those clothes. I vaguely remembered him mumbling about some presentation he had to give on his thesis that was supposed to have taken place earlier today. He seemed a tad frazzled and out of breath, almost as if he had jogged over.

"Alright, everyone," he began, "I'm going to go easy on you today and not make you go through your cabinets. The only thing you guys need to do is turn in your lab reports."

That caught me off guard. I had expected a little bit more build-up time, but apparently that had been wishful thinking. In response to his statement, the butterflies in my stomach went crazy as I looked down at the countertop.

I was slow to get up from my seat, and pretended to piddle with my bag. After the majority of the students had filed out of the room, their reports turned in, I walked slowly up to the front. Kenshin smiled distractedly at me when I stepped up to him after the last person left. I almost shoved my report in his face and bolted right then, but quickly convinced myself that that move would be a mistake.

I'm not exactly a connoisseur at throwing myself at unsuspecting men, so I did the first thing that came to mind – I grabbed his tie, pulled him forward, and quickly pressed my lips against his. From the moment of contact, I realized that I had made a serious miscalculation in thinking that one dip into the cookie jar would satisfy me. I might have just sparked a catalytic reaction that had no end in sight.

I felt like sinking against him and loosing myself in the primal sensation that enveloped me, but then I felt his hand wrap around my fingers which clutched his tie, and remembered that I had rather rudely ambushed him. He had neither initiated nor made any inclination that he had wanted to kiss me. I did find some comfort in the fact that he hadn't immediately shoved me away in horror, but as I slowly broke contact and took a step back, I knew I had obliterated any of the normalcy in the friendly relationship that we had had.

I couldn't look him in the eye, suddenly afraid of what I might find. My paper slid from my fingertips and fell onto the floor as I turned and rushed out of the room. I think he called my name, but I was so distracted that I couldn't be certain.

* * *

When I had cooked up that sterling little plan of mine, I had conveniently forgotten that Kenshin was, in fact, scheduled to work at the store one more day before quitting and traveling onto greener pastures with his shiny new Master's degree in hand. He didn't yet have the degree, and wouldn't for several more weeks, but he'd decided to leave the convenience store early and prepare himself for job interviews. I'm not sure how I could have possibly forgotten that important detail, but apparently my mind had bulldozed right over it. 

Five minutes ago when he walked into the store, I had almost popped the open bag of M&Ms I had been holding into the air. He hadn't glanced at me as he made his way toward the back of the store, and I was being paranoid by wondering if he had done that intentionally or not.

In a stroke of good fortune, my father sent him to work in the back rooms, organizing and taking inventory of the overstock. I spent the majority of my time behind the cash register, cringing every time I thought I saw someone leave the back rooms. It was beyond pathetic.

An hour after Kenshin had arrived, I asked my father if there was chance that I'd be able to leave the store early, because I was "sick". Unfortunately, the old man knew me too well and merely laughed away the excuse. And to make matters worse, he asked me to help Kenshin in the back rooms. If there was any moment in my life where I wished someone would just up and shoot me, that would have been it. And so now, I was trudging slowly toward the room where the last person on earth I wanted to see currently was.

There were three rooms in the back of the store. Overstock was kept in two of them, while the third was designated as the 'break room'. As I stepped into the first of the rooms that contained supplies for the store, I held my breath unintentionally. It came out in a loud whoosh of relief when I found the room empty. I stood still for a moment, and nibbled my lower lip in thought. Technically, I'd still be helping Kenshin even if I stayed in this room; there just wouldn't be any contact between the two of us, which I found perfectly acceptable.

I laid the clipboard with the inventory list down on top of a small table by the door, and stepped over to the metal shelf containing boxes of goods. I pulled one off of the shelf and set it down to inspect the contents. It was while I rifling through it that I heard someone step though the doorway of the room and pause. I hesitated for a moment before looking up from my work and spying Kenshin staring down at me with an unreadable expression on his face.

"I finished with the other room," he said, moving his gaze to the shelf. "It won't take me long to do this one, so if you have something you need to do up front, I'll be fine on my own."

As much as I wished to accept that offer of his, I was kind of irked he wanted to get rid of me. But, of course, I really deserved no less. He was probably worried I'd latch myself onto him like a leech and never let go. I'd learned my lesson, however – look, but don't touch.

"My father has the front covered," I replied, lowering my eyes to the box in front of me. "Thanks for the offer, though."

Since I wasn't looking at him, I couldn't be sure of his exact reaction, but he did grunt softly. Typical man.

We toiled away in silence for a good while, and I was able to ignore him at least a little bit. We made good progress and were nearly done half an hour later. He kept to one side of the room, while I stayed on the other. I tried not to overanalyze his behavior, but I couldn't help but be disappointed in the lack of interaction between the two of us. I was so distracted with the rumblings of my mind, I was taken off-guard when he spoke.

"I had to give you B."

My gaze swerved to his. After attacking him like I had, all he could talk about was my _grade_? Either I had failed to make any sort of impression on him (I tried to convince myself not to be insulted by that thought), or maybe I'd shocked him so badly, he was trying to forget it had even happened. Personally, I didn't really like either of those options, but as I stared into his seemingly bland gaze, no other possibility presented itself.

"While your lab reports were very well written, your products were often flawed, so any higher grade wasn't possible," he continued.

Flawed was actually putting it politely. It was more than embarrassing to admit the majority of my experiments had resulted in dismal failure. He must have found something redeeming in those lab reports to have even considered giving me a B. I almost felt like asking him if he had received any blows to the head recently before I remembered my little trap. Had I really rattled him so badly?

I cleared my throat. "That's much better than I expected, actually," I replied.

The corner of his mouth curved. "You didn't do _that_ bad, Kaoru. I'm not quite sure what you expected, but I gave you what you deserve."

I snorted.

At his answering chuckle, I averted my gaze and stood up from the floor. Reaching down, I slipped my fingers underneath the box and hefted it up to replace it on the shelf.

"You know, Kaoru, I believe I might have a cure for that clumsiness of yours."

And I dropped the box on my foot. I bit back a caustic expletive as I hopped away from the heavy object, and ignored Kenshin as he stood and made a move to come closer to me. The only thing that was going to cure my clumsiness was to get away from the redhead. Leaning against the wall, I let out a heavy breath and sent him a narrow glare.

"You did that on purpose."

His eyebrows rose. "I did?"

"Yes!"

He stepped closer to me.

"It's revenge," I continued.

"For what?" he asked, stepping even closer to me. I could smell the subtle scent of his aftershave now. I tried to convince myself not be swayed by something so trivial.

I started to speak, but blinked in surprise at his sudden proximity. When had he gotten so close to me?

"Ah, that's right. Revenge for something like this, right?" he murmured, and leaned forward to cover my lips with his as his fingertips ghosted through my loose hair. My breath caught, and I forgot how to breathe. I don't think I'd ever been more flabbergasted before in my life. It took a few moments for me to react, and by that time he had pulled away. It was almost ironic – the one thing I had been driving myself crazy over had happened, and I'd been too shocked to actually enjoy it.

I blinked at him dazedly.

A slow smile spread over his lips. "Don't look at me like that," he murmured.

"Like what?" I replied dumbly.

"Like I just sideswiped you."

"Well, you did."

"Just returning the favor."

My eyes immediately narrowed. "Is that what this is? A way to get back at me for ambushing you?"

His smile widened into a grin, which utterly baffled me. "No."

"No?" I echoed.

He shook his head and leaned in a second time, this time with his hands on either side of my face. I made a move to protest by weakly pressing a hand against his chest as his lips curved over mine, but I completely lost my train of thought when his tongue slipped through and made a cursory invasion of my mouth. My breath caught, and I was frozen for a moment. The reality of his kiss was so much more intense, knee-weakening, and sensual that anything that I had daydreamed. And suddenly, I figured to hell with any objections – I wasn't sure when or if this would ever happen again, so no time should be wasted.

I returned the caress of his tongue with my own, and felt a ridiculous amount of smugness when he moaned and pulled me more tightly against his frame. I reached up, sank my fingers into his hair and lost myself in the ardent stroke of his mouth against mine, the tangling of tongues and gasps for breath. My mind emptied of thought, and all that surrounded me was Kenshin – his scent, his warmth, his embrace.

I felt a distinct feeling of loss when he leaned back the smallest amount and lifted his lips from mine. My lashes opened slowly, and my gaze caught his. His eyes swirled with an ethereal combination of violet and amber, and spoke of an intensity beyond words. My skin hummed underneath his fingertips, and lips tingled with awareness from his kiss.

A large bump in the outside hallway caused him to take a quick step back from me, and turn away. I felt a swift stab of frustration, but then reigned in my turbulent emotions. He spoke a few moments later, and his words caused my eyes to widen and my lips to part with surprise.

"I will officially no longer be employed by the university in two weeks, so I was wondering if you would like to, ah, set aside a day after that time and spend it with me."

"You're asking me out?" I questioned skeptically.

He turned back to me, and cocked his head to the side. A hesitant smile covered his lips. "It would seem so."

I stood there for a moment studying his face. My curiosity got the best of me, and I couldn't help but blurt out, "Why?"

He reached up and brushed a hand against the back of his neck. "I would have thought that was obvious."

I raised an eyebrow in response.

To elaborate, he said, "When I first saw you here at the store, I noticed there was something unique about you. Finding out that you were one of my students stopped me from pursuing you in any way, but after realizing that you felt something for me the other day," I felt my cheeks grow pink at those words, "ignoring my feelings seemed like a moot point. I thought you might like to go on a date or two with me since the constraints of a teacher-student relationship no longer affects us, and see where things take us."

A slow smile curved my lips. "Is this your cure to my clumsiness?" At his nod, I felt amusement surge through me. I was silent for a few moments before responding, "I would like that."


	8. An Unusual Reaction, Pt 5

**Author's Note**: So I'm jumping ahead in the timeline for 'An Unusual Reaction' about a couple years. This is a pretty short drabble compared to the others, but hopefully just as enjoyable.

Kaoru's POV once again.

**Disclaimer**: I do not own Rurouni Kenshin.

---------------------------------------------

**Title**: An Unusual Reaction, Pt. 5  
**Rating**: PGish  
**Words**: 839  
**Request from**: Ravyn  
**Request**: RK drabble. KK pairing.

---------------------------------------------

I was late, but with a reasonable excuse. Even without an explanation for my tardiness, I knew Kenshin wouldn't confront me with irritation; the man was always ridiculously patient. I would have arrived earlier if I hadn't run back home to my apartment to change out of the formal clothes that I had worn to my job interviews and into something more casual. Trudging through a park with Kenshin while wearing high heels was a good way to end up with a sprained ankle.

The evening air was cool against my face, and I closed my eyes momentarily to enjoy the fresh breeze that passed by. With the smallest of smiles, I jammed my hands into the pockets of my jeans and stepped off the park's paved path and into the grass. It was still wet from the mid-afternoon rain shower, and I wiggled my toes as the moisture invaded my flip-flops.

I could see Kenshin in the distance, lying on his back on a bench shaded by a large oak tree. One arm dangled off the side, touching the grass, while the other was folded on his chest. As neared him, I noticed his eyes were closed, and his mouth slightly open, hinting that he had decided a nap would be a good way to kill time.

The rhythmic sound of my flip-flops must have alerted him to my presence; he cracked one eye open and stared lazily at me as I walked slowly towards him. With a slight smirk of his lips, he closed his eye again and said when I came to a stop in front of him, "What day is it?"

I rolled my eyes heavenward and snorted. Without a word, I sat down heavily on his stomach and grinned with amusement when he jolted up with surprise, his hands immediately going to my waist to move me off of him.

"Evil," I heard him mutter as he struggled, along with, "See if I wait again."

Our limbs ended up hopelessly entangled as he attempted to sit up, while I wrapped my arms around the upper part of his body to further confound the problem. Laughter bubbled in my throat when I caught the exasperated look on his face as he tried to shift to the side and ended up whacking his elbow on the back of the bench.

"Funny, is it?" he asked, sending me a mild glare as he rubbed the tender spot.

My answer was the most innocent expression I could muster without cracking a blameworthy smile.

He raised an eyebrow and leaned back in another attempt to dislodge me.

"You just looked so cute lying there," I replied while reaching for the back of the bench to keep from tumbling clumsily onto the ground.

"And that made you want to sit on me?"

"Guilty as charged," I shrugged. With a sigh of surrender, I finally wiggled off of him and onto seat of the bench, my back to the armrest, my feet against his thighs. He was twisted sideways on the bench, half facing me, half facing the grass, and I watched him as he crossed his arms over his chest in an attempt to look stern. "Been waiting long?" I questioned.

A small smile of self-satisfaction covered his lips. "No, not really. I figured you'd be late, so I arrived after the agreed upon time."

"That's cheating."

"No, that's knowing the unfortunate habits of one's girlfriend," he replied with a grin.

I couldn't help but smile at that as I leaned over to take off my flip-flops and throw them onto the ground.

Kenshin watched me for a moment before asking, "So how'd the job interviews go?"

"Very well, actually. I was hired on the spot for the job I wanted the most."

"Was it the one for that internship at Chem. Co.?"

I cleared my throat. "Nope. It's actually for a job that I didn't tell you I was interviewing for."

Kenshin leaned forward and placed a hand on the skin of my ankle. "And it is?"

"As a TA for introductory chemistry labs at the university. A job on campus as I take classes for my Master's degree will be very convenient. Don't you agree?" It was hard to keep my voice neutral, but somehow I managed it.

Kenshin stared at me for a moment in bemusement before he ducked his head and began to laugh. "If I didn't know you well enough, I'd think you were joking, but you're not, are you?"

"Nope," I responded smugly.

His arms wrapped around my calves, and he pulled closer to him. Soon his arms had snaked around my waist, his hands gripping the soft fabric of my t-shirt and pressing me against him. "Just don't get any ideas about your students."

I grinned against his lips and slipped my fingertips through the hair just above his ear. "Don't worry. I only have eyes for the teachers, not the students. You should know that well enough."

He chuckled. "I suppose I do."


	9. An Unusual Reaction, Pt 6

**Author's Note**: Not much longer in time after the previous drabble.

Kaoru's POV.

**Disclaimer**: I do not own Rurouni Kenshin.

---------------------------------------------

**Title**: An Unusual Reaction, Pt. 6  
**Rating**: PG  
**Words**: 614  
**Request from**: Rayvn  
**Request**: RK drabble. KK pairing.

----------------------------------------------

Kaoru leaned forward, placed her elbows on the lab counter and formed a box with her pointer and thumb finger from each hand. While squinting one eye, she peered through the hole imposed by her fingers and smirked.

"This image looks familiar," she stated.

From the front of the room, Kenshin turned and shook his head with exasperation. Raising the hand which held a long piece of chalk, he pointed at her, and replied, "I'm only here to help you."

"Nu-uh. You, my dear, are here to spy on me," she replied with an upraised brow as she lowered her hands and laid them flat on the counter's cool surface.

He turned his back to her again and commenced the task of writing on the chalkboard. "I'm helping," he muttered with belligerence.

"Is it because I'm suddenly incapable of writing my name and the section number of the lab on the board?" Kaoru teased, taking delight in the sudden stiffening of his shoulders, his writing now slightly jerky.

"I am just - "

" – helping," she finished. Kaoru continued to watch him as he wrote, admiring the familiarity of his messy scrawl, and thinking she might have to re-write it after he leaves so the students will have a better idea of what the words on the board actually are. Having previously been subjected to his sloppy writing as an undergrad, she didn't want to have to torment innocent students with the misfortune of deciphering it. But, she'd let him continue since he seemed so adamant about it at the moment. Maybe she'd only have to fix a few words. He _was_ trying his best to write somewhat neatly – it didn't help that she continued to irritate him.

With a smile, Kaoru said, "Are you planning on staying during the lab period, or are you going to let me teach alone?" She could hear his long sigh from where she sat, and she bit her lip to keep from laughing.

"You know my lunch break is up in ten minutes. I'll be out of your hair in just a second, Miss Kamiya," he retorted, placing the chalk onto the chalkboard base. As he wiped his hands together to remove lingering traces of the chalk, he glanced at her and quirked a brow as she motioned him over to her with her hand. Kenshin walked towards her almost warily, his lips curved to the side with suspicion.

When he stopped in front of her, she reached up and tightened the top of his tie, straightening the two lower halves, and then smoothing them against his shirt. "You help me – I help you," she murmured as explanation.

He was silent for a moment, his eyes on hers, before asking, "Still on for dinner tonight?"

Kaoru nodded her head, her lips quirked. "When we meet, I'll have a report written for you on how lab went. How long do you want it to be? Two, three pages? If you give me time, it'll be typed."

He stared at her for moment, his expression flat. His lips twitched. "I am leaving," he replied, reaching past her to grab his jacket off the top of the counter. Kaoru could hear the smile in his voice as he continued, "Enjoy yourself."

"Might be a life-changing experience, huh," Kaoru joked as she watched him pause in the doorway.

He gave her a pointed stare. "Could be."

When he was gone, she turned her gaze to the board, leaned back in the chair, and crossed her arms over her chest. With additional thought, maybe she would leave Kenshin's handiwork on the board just this once. It'd be a shame to erase it.


	10. An Unusual Reaction, Pt 7

**Author's Note**: In this drabble, there's a second jump into the future. Maybe 10 years. And…I've changed the POV.

Kenshin's POV.

**Disclaimer**: I do not own Rurouni Kenshin.

--------------------------------------------

**Title**: An Unusual Reaction, Pt. 7  
**Rating**: PG  
**Words**: 799  
**Request from**: Rayvn  
**Request**: RK drabble. KK pairing.

---------------------------------------------

"You didn't honestly buy it, did you?" she asked, one eyebrow raised. She pursed lips and gave me a look daring me to reply negatively, but all I could do was shrug helplessly. "Kenshin! I thought we talked about this. We were going to let him take his own path. We weren't going to influence him at all."

From my position on the floor, I leaned back against the sofa and laid a hand on the carpet. "I highly doubt this one little thing will irreparably change our child's life forever."

With an indignant huff, she crossed her arms over her chest and shot daggers at me with her eyes. The faint, angry flush on her cheeks amused me for some reason, maybe because she looked adorable when mad, or maybe because I found the seriousness she attributed to the situation somewhat…silly. I had to duck my head and pretend to play with the wrapping paper that sat on the floor to keep her from seeing the betraying smile on my lips.

"I think you should take it back."

"Can't. I already tampered with it – checked to see if all the parts were present, and added a few things I felt could spruce it up a bit."

From the tense silence that followed my words, I could imagine the look on her face. Brow pinched with frustration, lips thinned, eyes dark. I cleared my throat and lifted my face to hers, careful to contain any revealing emotion.

"You actually added stuff?" her tone incredulous.

I smiled reassuringly at her. "With any luck, the present will make him hate chemistry."

Kaoru scowled. "You know that's not what I want."

"Then stop acting as if giving him a Beginner's Chemistry Set for his birthday is going kill him. Kenji's a bright boy. If he wants to like chemistry, he will. If he doesn't, then he won't. Who knows what having two parents whose lives revolve around chemistry will do to him. He's going to have enough exposure to it throughout the years that one little experiment set isn't going to brainwash him into following our footsteps exactly."

Kaoru brooded over my words for a minute before mumbling something like "whatever," under her breath, and then standing up and stalking out of the room. I shook my head with a soft chuckle, grabbed the controversial present, and set about to wrapping it with the colorful birthday paper. Kaoru remained absent during the process, but I could hear her rummaging about in the kitchen.

After placing the final piece of tape onto the box, I pushed the present to side with the handful of others, and stood. When I stepped through the kitchen's doorway, I immediately spotted my wife sitting on the countertop, her legs dangling, with a half-full glass of wine in her right hand.

Before I could speak, she said, "You make a perfectly rational argument. I'm sorry for being combative." I leaned against the doorjamb and watched as she brushed her bangs away from her face. "I'm just nervous about tomorrow. Starting the whole college chemistry professor job is really starting to hit me in the gut."

"You'll be fine."

A ghost of smile touched her lips, and she continued on as she hadn't heard me. "I felt the same way when I started teaching high school chemistry."

"You'll be fine," I repeated. I cleared my throat, and with a mischievous grin, I said, "Just don't trip and give yourself a concussion on your first day, though. I didn't like having to pick you up from the principal's office on the first day of classes at the high school."

Kaoru's eyes predictably narrowed, and she hopped down from the counter. "Are you implying something?"

"Nothing, my dear. Nothing at all." When she stopped in front of me, I took the wine glass from her hand, set it down on the kitchen table, and slid my arms slowly around her waist. For some reason she found one of the buttons on my shirt fascinating, and proceeded to pick at it. "But, just remember," I said as I leaned close, my lips skimming over the sensitive skin of her neck, "I can always take off work, and act as your spotter in case you suffer from a bad case of the jitters."

She let out an annoyed puff of air and squirmed in my arms. One foot caught behind mine, invariably unbalanced the two of us, and we tumbled onto the kitchen floor with thump and exclamation of surprise. She resisted slightly again, but when I felt her sigh of surrender against my neck, I raised myself up with my upper arms, and nuzzled her neck.

"I hate you," she muttered.

"Me, too. The feeling's mutual," I replied happily against her skin.


	11. Coffee

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Rurouni Kenshin

**-------------------------------------------**

**Title**: Coffee  
**Rating**: PG  
**Words**: 259

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Kaoru loved her coffee.

There was something about the bitterness and the sweetness combined that made her look forward to it every morning. She loved the scent of it as the steam curled up out of the cup. She loved the heat of it in her hand as she walked to school from the coffee shop.

Most importantly, though, she loved talking to the man who worked behind the counter.

There was a coffee shop about a block from her apartment, but she always walked five blocks out of her way to go to _his_ shop. She felt a little stupid and a little juvenile, but each morning when she walked through the door and saw him standing behind the counter, her heart did this crazy little double-beat. He was short, with his long red hair pulled back in a neat ponytail, and had eyes the color of the clearest amethyst. Why he made her feel the way she did was a mystery to her, but in all honesty, she could care less. There was something comforting about seeing him every morning.

She never said much more than "Good morning," or something inane like "Nice weather we're having," in addition to ordering her coffee, and he always responded in his polite way, but at the moment, it was all she wanted.

She was content with just seeing him in the mornings.

Maybe one day she'd deepen the conversation.

But today, like all others, she smiled, took her coffee from him and left his shop. It was a beautiful morning.


	12. Frenzy

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Rurouni Kenshin

**-------------------------------------------**

**Title**: Frenzy  
**Rating**: PG-13  
**Words**: 540

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He could feel her slipping away as he slowly drained her - the thick, warm essence of her life flowing into his mouth, filling his body. She tasted as no other ever had - like light and heat and goodness. She was addiction. He couldn't stop himself as his grip tightened on her shoulders, his lips pressing more firmly against the soft skin of her neck. His sharp incisors cut more deeply into her flesh, allowing the blood to flow more freely, flooding his senses even more than before.

It was a whiteout of pleasure. As if a blinding flash of lightening had seared his mind, making him crazy, and obliterating all coherent thought. There was nothing but the sensation of the thick, hot liquid sliding across his tongue, electrifying his taste buds and making his muscles clench in ecstasy.

So lost was he that he didn't hear her whimper of pain or feel her fingernails dig into his forearms. However as he continued to drink, he felt the loss of her within her blood with each sip. It became…less. Less of her. As he drained more and more from her, the potency, the flavor, the sweet and bitter tang of it was gradually lost. As her life slowly slipped away, it seemed that what made her _her_ was taken away as well.

He had always hated the feeling of strength that filled him as the life of his victim slipped away. His muscles, his mind, and his heart raced with energy while the girl beneath him weakened, her fingers slipping from their hard grip on his arms, her eyes clouding, and her breath becoming shallow. The theft of life that his way of life dictated had always left him feeling empty, instead of fulfilled. Lost, instead of found. Even now as he drank the most delectable blood that he had ever tasted, he did not enjoy it. He abhorred himself.

Tearing his mouth from her neck with a roar, Kenshin jumped away from his victim, putting several feet of distance between them. His amber eyes were wide and glazed, and his breath harsh and haggard. It was several moments before he was able to collect himself and somewhat dampen the fierce grip of hunger that held him like a vice.

She was pale, close to death. Her dark, black hair was fanned around her head as she lay prone on the concrete of the alley. On her blue waitress uniform, she had a nametag with 'Kaoru' printed crooked across it. She had seemed so ordinary at first glance. How wrong he had been. As he stared at her, a feeling of calm slowly descended over him. A feeling of sureness, of rightness took him over.

He had no idea why this woman had such an effect on him. Kenshin stepped slowly over to her, kneeled and placed his fingers lightly against the side of her neck that he hadn't bitten. Her pulse fluttered weakly.

Before he knew what he was doing, he had gathered her in his arms, cradling her softly against his chest. He stood and stared down at her still face.

She was his now.

Nothing had ever felt more right in his life.

She was his.


	13. Grass

**Author's Note:** I posted this on my LJ back in March, but figured it would be a good idea to post it with my other drabbles.

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Rurouni Kenshin

**Title**: Grass  
**Rating**: PG  
**Words**: 143

I closed my eyes against the sun's brightness and leaned back into the dew-coated grass. With a content sigh, I kicked off my sandals and buried my toes into the soil. A gentle afternoon breeze swept through grass and goosebumps rose on my arms.

A slow smile spread over my lips as I felt fingers slip over my wrist and tangle with my own. I turned my head and opened my eyes to stare at Kenshin. His pose mimicked mine - his eyes closed, his body relaxed in the grass. My smile widened into a grin as I rolled to my stomach, rested my arms against his chest and studied his features.

Slowly, his eyes opened and they settled on mine. I knew it was coming and a tingle of anticipation curled in my chest.

His mouth curved. God, I loved his smile.


	14. Watcher

**Author's Note:** I sat down to write something short, and this popped out.

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Rurouni Kenshin

**Title**: Watcher  
**Rating**: PG-13  
**Words**: 449

I was strange. Weird. My actions were unexplainable. I tried to reason with myself. I tried to make myself stop. There were several times when I had finally thought I'd kicked my horrible habit, but, when I would least expected the urge to make itself know again, it would wrap around me like a boa constrictor and squeeze and squeeze until I surrendered.

I knew when and where to be. I knew where to hide to prevent from being seen. I knew that my heart would thump at an unreasonably unhealthy pace. God, I was weak.

My traitorous feet carried me through the trees and tall grass. I mentally screamed at them to stop, turn, and take me back in the other direction. I began to sweat when they didn't listen and continued to trudge on through the mud. I would have closed my eyes, but I was too afraid of tripping or walking into a tree.

My steps slowed and quieted as I neared the lake and my hiding spot. There was a small cluster of trees that lined the bank, creating a small hidden alcove that allowed me to spy. To watch. To yearn.

When I heard the soft splash, I knew he was there. My gaze found his form quickly, his bright red hair standing out in brilliant relief against the blue of the water. His body was slicing swiftly through the water as he swam toward the shore. When he reached an area that was shallow enough for him to stand, he straightened.

I wheezed when the water came to a stop mid-thigh. His back was turned to me, giving me an amazing view of his butt. And what a butt it was. Typically, he moved quickly from the water after his swim, but today he just stood there. And stood there. ….And stood there.

An uneasy feeling settled in my gut as I shifted in the grass. The need to flee became so overwhelming, I shuffled back a little. A sharp sting on my ankle made me hiss and lower my gaze to smack the mosquito on my skin. With a mumbled curse, I wiped my hand nervously on my shorts and lifted my gaze again.

I froze and my eyes widened in shock. He was staring at me.

I felt like throwing up. This had to be the most humiliating moment of my life, and it was because I was a nosy moron.

I tried to get my feet to move. I tried to breathe. My body refused to cooperate.

And then as I began to panic for real, he smiled. A knowing smile.

My brain dissolved into mush. I was a goner.


End file.
